"You're constantly looking at the clock counting down," he said. "When you're out there, you never think it's coming to an end."

Wiggins joins five other riders, among them Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain, to have won the Tour de France and broken the hour record.

"I always compare myself to the greats and I am just glad to be in the company of those guys," said Wiggins.

"To get up there and do that, to put yourself on the line, takes a lot of courage and it's a mental game as much as anything."

Alex Dowsett tweeted his early congratulations to Wiggins after seeing his record broken

Former British cycling performance director Dave Brailsford said it was "an honour" to witness the occasion.

"Bradley rode well on what was a heavy and hard day," he said.

"I'm so pleased for him. It's his day and he is such a magnificent athlete."

Since the UCI, cycling's world governing body, unified the regulations surrounding the event last year, four riders have held the record: Germany's Jens Voigt, Matthias Brandle of Switzerland, Australian Rohan Dennis and Dowsett.

BBC Sport's Matt Slater at Lee Valley VeloPark

"It was never really in doubt, was it?

"The only question in the stifling heat of the Olympic velodrome before Wiggins rolled off - ahead of Sky Sports' schedule - was on whether he would take the record out so far that it would frighten off challengers for a generation.

"That is still the question as the temperature drops from the optimal 28 degrees to something more bearable: is the best part of 34 miles one of those iconic rides, or just a very long way?

"One thing is for certain, he did it in less than ideal conditions - the high-pressure front over London this weekend probably cost him another three laps and he did it at sea level - which means Wiggins leaves this stage with his audience wanting more.

"Not a bad way to go, when you think about it."

Wiggins completed his first 100 laps at a speed of 54.612kph

The 35-year-old became the fifth person in nine months to break the record

The multiple Olympic and world champion celebrated with a trademark pose once the clock had stopped

Five-time Tour de France champion Miguel Indurain was among those to congratulate Wiggins